Climate & the law
The Oxford Sustainable Law programme combines science with the law to address global sustainability challenges. Our cutting-edge research focuses on climate science and the law, systemic lawyering, the transition to net-zero, and climate risk governance.
Climate & enterprise
Future of cooling
The Future of Cooling programme focuses on understanding and shaping sustainable cooling solutions, prioritising passive and less energy-intensive technologies to protect people and prepare countries for extreme heat events.
Sustainable future of commodities & infrastructure
Our programme on the sustainable future of commodities & infrastructure (OxSFOCI) supports the transition of capital-intensive industries such as mining, oil and gas, infrastructure and construction to environmentally sustainable production.
Oxford Net Zero
The Oxford Net Zero initiative draws on the University of Oxford’s world-leading expertise in climate science and policy, addressing the critical issue of how to reach global net-zero in time to halt global warming.
Climate & finance
Multi-disciplinary research from the Oxford Sustainable Finance Group (OSFG) aims to create real change in financial practice and policy, working with a range of special initiatives to tackle global environmental and social challenges.
CROSS-INSTITUTION PROGRAMMES
Oxford Climate Emergency Programme
Our climate emergency programme is aimed at senior executives who recognise their business needs to change in response to the impacts of climate change. Combining expertise from the Smith School and Saïd Business School, the online course provides guidance to help you drive action and transform your business.
Climate & economics
Our economics programme explores the design and implementation of economic policy initiatives that affect enterprise and the environment. We investigate how targeted interventions can help to accelerate the transition to net-zero, and also lead solutions-led research into economically, socially and environmentally scalable greenhouse gas removal options.
External partners
Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative
Examining the legal basis for directors and trustees to consider, manage, and report on climate change-related risk, and the circumstances in which they may be liable for failing to do so.
Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative
CCLI website
Global Research Alliance for Sustainable Finance and Investment
The Alliance was founded in 2017 by a network of global research universities in order to promote rigorous and highly impactful academic research on sustainable finance and investment.
Latest news
Scotland is ditching its flagship 2030 climate goal – why legally binding targets really matter
Sam Fankhauser writes in The Conversation on Scotland’s decision to abandon its 2030 climate ambition. "It has always been clear that legally binding carbon targets on their own are no guarantee for climate action," he writes. "They matter, but the key to climate protection is a genuine commitment to implementation."
Scientists Just Gave Humanity an Overdue Reality Check. The World Will Be Better for It.
In a guest essay for the New York Times, Stephen Lezak comments on the 'rotten politics' of the so-called Anthropocene era.
U.K. Doubles Down On Fossil Gas Power. 10 Experts Deliver Verdicts
The U.K. government has announced a decision to extend the life of the country's gas-fired power plants, as well as building more. But the plan has received widespread criticism. Professor Sam Fankhauser comments, "New gas-fired power plants... will need a firm obligation for any CO2 to be captured and stored safely underground."